Heavy downpour leaves many parts of Madurai dist flooded

The downpour caused inundation in several low lying areas. Other districts in the southern region also experienced showers. Madurai Collector S Aneesh Sekhar along with Joint Director of Agriculture T Vivekanandan inspected the rain inundated paddy field at Vidathakulam village in Thirumangalam block. Sources said nearly fifteen acres of paddy field remained waterlogged in the wake of recent rains. The Vaigai river in Madurai was in spate as 5,000 cusecs of water released from the Vaigai dam. While 3,300 cusecs of surplus water from the dam was discharged into the river, 1,700 cusecs of water is also let into the river due to heavy rain.

Meanwhile, the 22,273 tanks across Madurai district, 694 tanks achieved full capacity in parts of Madurai East and West panchayats persisten rainfall in the Northeast monsoon season and each of the 593 tanks in other parts have touched 75 per cent of its capacity. While water in Melur and its surroundings reached almost 80 per cent, it’s 75 per cent in areas of Kottampatti, sources added. Virudhunagar Collector J Meghanatha Reddy said, “Most of the tanks were filled with maximum storage of water following rains.”

Sivakasi Assistant Collector M Birathiviraj said Kalayanai odai witnessed free flow of water after desilting. Relief assistance is being arranged in Srivilliputhur, he added.